Reg Scarlett was a lower-order batsman and off-spinner (a "mountainous figure of a man" according to Christopher Martin-Jenkins[1]) who played for Jamaica from 1951-52 to 1959-60. In his first eight games to the end of the 1957-58 season he made 150 runs at 13.63 and took 20 wickets at 34.25. In each of Jamaica's two matches against the MCC in 1953-54 he took four wickets in the first innings. He struck more productive form in mid-1958, taking 14 wickets in two matches against Barbados.

In 1959-60 he had figures of 5 for 69 against Trinidad and 3 for 107 against British Guiana, and was selected for the First Test against England. He failed in the Test and was replaced by Charran Singh, but he scored 72 not out and 59 for Jamaica against the MCC (his only first-class fifties) and took 3 wickets, and returned to the Test team for the Third and Fourth Tests, but again achieved little.

He retired from first-class cricket after the series and moved to England, where he spent many years coaching. He later became the West Indies Cricket Board's director of coaching.[2]

He co-authored the book 100 Great West Indian Cricketers (1987) with Bridgette Lawrence.

His younger brother Robert played a few games for Jamaica in the 1960s.[3]